Valved mixing container or package



Jan. 10, 1967 A. P. coRELLA ETAL 3,297,152

VALVED MIXING CONTAINERl 0R PACKAGE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 4, 1964E CbAJELLn, 5'. scf/News@ 7 .Kuren/roes'.

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Jall- 10 1967 A. P. coRELLA ETAL 3,297,152

VALVED MIXING CONTAINER OR PACKAGE Filed Marsh 4, 1964 s sheets-sheet 2pr//UQ 1.0 'QELLHJ 717/24 /HM 5. 50m/Eme@ INVENTOR-S.

Jan. 10, 1967 A. P. coRELLA ETAL 3,297,152

VALVED MIXING CONTAINER' OR PACKAGE Filed March 4, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Maf ,1.9. /j/ ra. 31?.

AIHI/ .H @peut f7, MLA/mw 5. SCW/venas? INVENTOR.

Arrow/sys United States Patent O 3,297,152 VALVED MIXING CONTAlNER RPACKAGE Arthur P. Corella, North Hollywood, and William S. Schneider,Glendale, Calif., assignors to V. Wayne Rodgers, South Pasadena, Calif.

Filed Mar. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 349,267 6 Claims. (Cl. 206-47) The presentinvention relates generally to containers and packages having ilexiblewalls, and more especially to a container w'hich may be used as apackage for the purpose of merchandising a product to which the userwill later add .a liquid and will then mix the added liquid and theproduct together by flexing or kneading the walls of the bag, thecontainer being provided with a one-way valve through which the liquidmay be introduced into the package by the user.

Many different types of products are now sold in a dry form and are tobe mixed by the user with a liquid, such as water, as a step in thesubsequent processing for use of the original material. Examples includecake mixes, pie crust mixes, pancake mixes, and other food productswhich are sold in dry form and are to be 4mixed with milk or water bythe user. Other examples where mixing of product-s is contemplated maybe found among various nonfood products such as plaster of Paris, cementmixes, and various liquid plastics of the type to which a liquidcatalyst is to be added.

One well known manner of using products of this character involvesemptying the product out of the package in dry form into a suitablemixing bowl or the like, adding a desired liquid, and stirring oragitating the liquid and the dry mix together with a suitable implement.It is a convenience to the user if products of this character are soldin packages having ilexilble Walls and into which the proper amount ofadded liquid may be placed, the liquid and the dry product being mixedin the package. After the desired mixture is secured, it is then ejectedfrom the package through an opening in the package wall which is formedfor that purpose. Many advantages accrue to the user, particularly thesaving in time and trouble of cleaning up a bowl or vessel in whic-h themixture was prepared, since the flexible wall package now constitutes adisposable mixing container.

For this type of service, various designs of containers have previouslybeen made. In some instances a constricted opening is provided throughwhich iluid is introduced and this opening must then be held closed insome manner by the user during the mixing operation. If one hand isemployed to hold the opening closed, only one hand is free to do themixing.

Other designs of packages for this type of service with inlet passagesin the form of a llat tube providing the only entrance are moresatisfactory but still have not been entirely successful in practice.These flattened tubes rely on keeping the opposing walls in contact toexert a one-way valve action, and are sometimes referred to as fluttervalves. Known designs of such packages are subject to occasionalfailures, and even an occasional failure is sufficient to preventcommercial acceptance of such a package. The chief problem has been toprovide a one-way valve which remains securely closed during the mixingoperation. In known designs that use, or are adapted to, thin, llexible,limp, packaging materials, there has `been no means holding the valveclosed. Hence the valve is not always closed when the mixing periodstarts, with the result that some of the contents enters the passage andescapes by reverse flow through the valve-controlled passage.

Sometimes it appears as if the spreading apart or other relativemovement of the outer walls of the package dur- "ice . ing the mixingoperation causes a separation of the elements of the valve, thus openingan escape passage for the contents of the package. In other designs, itis apparently possible for a fold or wrinkle to form in one of the wallsof the passage, thus allowing the package contents to enter the valveand spread the walls apart. Whatever the reason, once even a smallamount of the contents of the package enters the valve structure, thismaterial tends to hold the valve open and allows escape of additionalmaterial by reverse flow through the inlet passage.

Attempts have been made to remedy this situation by adding a valvestructure that is made of a rigid material, e.g., a flap valve, or onemade of another flexible material, such as rubber. The comparativelythick, elastic walls of the rubber hold themselves in mutual conta-ct,closing the passage. However, rubber is a material foreign to thematerial from which the package is made. It is not a thin, inexpensivepackaging material that can be heatsealed or used in standard packingmachines. Hence, rubber creates special problems of handling and ofconnecting the valve to the packaging material that make such valves toocostly to be widely used, if not impractical. This is especially true ofwide valves, using a substantial amount of material.

The same container Without any dry contents, may also be used as adisposable or temporary receptacle to receive and hold liquids. If theliquids are waste material, the container may be thrown away with theliquids. For example, the container constructed with a narrow inletpassage is adapted to receive a catheter tube .for hospital use as aurinal. When the tube is withdrawn, the container becomes self-sealingand may be `disposed of along with its contents. Many other uses of thecontainer are also possible, since it, for example, may be used as atemporary storage or single-use container which, having ilexible walls,always takes up a minimum space as it shrinks with the decrease in thevolume of the contents.

Thus, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a noveldesign of a package of the general type containing a valve controlledpassage through which liquid may be introduced into the product-holdingspace within the package and the product .therein and the liquid mixedtogether by kneading or llexing the outer walls without causing thevalve to open and allow the escape of any of the contents during themixing operation.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a package or acontainer of this general type having a valve controlled inlet passagethrough which water or any other fluent substance may `be easilyintroduced into the package but which serves to prevent accidentalescape of the package contents through the passage.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a package of thisgeneral type containing a one-way valve structure in which the wallsforming a passage for introducing a substance into the package remain incontact at all times after introducing the substance, thus forming aone-way valve which is reliable in operation but simple in construction.

A further object is to provide a package of this type containing aone-way valve structure, such that the package can be hermeticallysealed to safeguard the contents against loss of moisture orcontamination by the entry of foreign matter `but yet is of suchcharacter that the hermetic seal can be lbroken easily by the user toopen the inlet passage while leaving the valve structure intact.

Still another object of the present invention is to design a package ofthis character which can be easily manufactured entirely from heatscalable films or webs on high-speed, automatic machinery of t-heform-and-iill variety, thus making the package relatively inexpensiveand easily available in large quantities, a characteristic essential toa commercially worthwhile package.

These objects of the invention have been attained by providing acontainer comprising a pair of opposed, flexible outer walls fordefining between them a productreceiving space; wall means defining aninlet passage extending inwardly of the container from one edge thereofand communicating with said product-receiving space, said wall meanscomprising a pair of opposed, flexible walls of which at least one wallis in addition to the outer walls; and means associated with the wallmeans holding the opposed walls in mutual contact to prevent reverseflow of fluid out of the product-receiving space, yet allowing the fluidto flow through the passage into the productreceiving space.

This same container may Ibe used as a package for merchandising aproduct by placing a product in the product-receiving space, theultimate user adding the required amount of the desired liquid and thenmixing the liquid and the product together within the package.

The means associated with the wall means for holding the opposed wallsin mutual contact may take various formations. In a simple configurationof a package, the wall means defining the inlet passage are providedwith an arched configuration which holds the two opposed walls together,the wall nearer the center or curvature being under a slight compressionand the other wall under a slight tension which is sufficient to holdthe walls in mutual contact at all times except when a liquid is flowingthrough the inlet passage. Alternatively, other means may be employed,as will be more fully explained later, including a plurality of smallspot seals substantially at the inner end of the inlet passage, or acharge of static electricty which attracts the two walls to each other,or any other means which holds the wall in mutual contact.

The present invention is directed to low cost packages or containersthat use only thin, very flexible standard packaging Webs of materialsthat are heat sealable on one or both sides. Such materials arecompletely limp and are not resilient; Iand can be used with high-speedautomatic form and fill machines.

How the above and other objects and advantages of the present invention,as well as others not specifically referred to here, are attained, willbe better understood by reference to the following description and tothe drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a package having flexible walls and aone-way valve structure, a portion of one of the outer walls beingbroken away for purposes of illustration.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section on line 2 2 ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse section on line 3 3 of FIG. 1 showing the inletend of the liquid passage.

FIG. 4 is a transverse section on line 4 4 of FIG. l.

FIG. 5 is a transverse section on line 5 5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section on line 6 6 ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of a package illustrating avariational embodiment of the invention in which the inner walls and theouter walls are respectively integral with each other. I

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal section on line 8 8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of a variational construction of the package,with part of one side wall broken away.

, FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudin-al section on line 10-10of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section on line 11 11 ofFIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a transverse section on line 12-12 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to FIG. 2 illustratinga modification thereof.

FIG. 14 is a side elevation of a container illustrating anothervariational embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 15 is a transverse section on line 15 15 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section on line 16 16 of FIG.14.

FIG. 17 is la fragmentary side elevation of a container illustratinganother variational embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1S is a vertical section on line 18 18 of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a side elevation of a container illustrating anothervariational embodiment of the invention in which the outer wall of thecontainer forms one wall of the inlet-passage means.

FIG. 20 is a top elevation of the container of FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a transverse section on line 21-21 of FIG. 19.

FIG. 22 is a side elevation of a container illustrating anothervariational embodiment of the invention in which two inner walls formingthe inlet passage are folded back on themselves.

FIG. 23 is a top elevation of the container of FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 is a transverse section on line 24 Z4 of FIG. 22.

FIG. 25 is a fragmentary side elevation of a container illustrating avariational embodiment of the invention having reclosable closure meansfor the inlet passage.

FIG. 26 is a vertical fragmentary section on line 26 26 of FIG. 25.

There will be seen in FIG. l a side elevation of a generally flatenvelope-like package 10 constructed according to the invention. As maybe seen in FIG. 2, the package comprises a pair of flexible outer balls11 and 12 which are made of thin sheet material. The package is shown asbeing rectangular in outline since this shape is most commonly andeasily produced on packaging machines; but it is to be understood thatthe invention is not necessarily limited to this or to any particularshape of package.

The two opposed, outer walls 11 and 12 are of similar shape andarejoined together to form an interior productcontaining space 14 withinwhich is a quantity of a dry powdered product 15. In the fabrication ofthe package illustrated these two outer walls are originally separate,.as t-hey are cut from separate webs, and they are joined togetheraround the entire periphery of the finished package in order to providea seal around the entire product space 14. Generally speaking, theinvention is independent of the particular means employed to jointogether these two walls, and consequently the word joined is used in abroad sense. For example, the walls may be integral with each other asin FIGS. 7, 19 and 22 or they may be joined together through anintermediate member, as will be explained. This exemplary packageassumes the common practice to make a package from two separate sheetswhich are joined together by heat seals 16 along the oppositelongitudinal margins of the package and by heat seals 18 and 18a at thetwo opposite transverse margins or ends of the package.

In order to form the seals 16, 18 and 18a by the application of heat andpressure, the outer walls are made of sheet material which is heatsealing on the inner face. As typical of the thin flexible materialsthat may Ibe used for this purpose, there may be mentioned celluloseacetate film, commonly known as Cellophane, coated on the inner facewith a layer of polyethylene. The polyethylene is a thermo-plasticmaterial which enables the two walls to be sealed together over an areato which heat and pressure are applied. Other films of a thermoplasticnature or films with other thermoplastic coatings such as vinyl resins,or rubber hydrochloride, may be used instead. In addition, the outerwalls may have an outer layer of metal foil or other material, as may bedesired.

' Disposed between the two outer walls are means defining an inletpassage, comprising two inner Walls 21 and 22. These two walls `are alsoformed of flexible sheet material which, for reasons which will becomeevident, is heat sealable on both faces. The two inner walls arerectangular in shape and both extend entirely across one dimension ofthe package, preferably the shorter dimension or width. The dimension ofthe inner walls perpendicular thereto is less than the correspondingdimension or length of the outer walls, as is shown clearly in FIGS. 1and 2, so that the inner edges 21s and 22s of the Walls are spaced fromone end of the package closed by seal 18a. The inner walls are solocated with reference to the `outer walls that three edges of the innerwall substantially coincide with edges of the outer walls along threesides of the package. Thus, the two inner walls are sealed between theouter walls throughout the full length of the one end seal 18 'and alsoover portions of the two opposite side seals 16. This conditionillustrates a situation in which the outer walls are joined togetherthrough an intermediate element of the package, though not in directcontact with each other. f

This latter condition is illustrated in FIG. 2, wherein end seal 18includes all four walls. The two inner walls 21 and 22 are sealed atopposing faces to each other over the area of seal 16. Each of the outerwalls 11 and 12 is also sealed to an outer face of the walls 21 and 22,respectively. The seal between the two inner walls at this area closesthe end of the liquid passage hereinafter described while attachment ofthe outer walls to the inner walls in part of the means providing ahermetic seal around the package enclosing the product-containing space14.

As shown particularly in FIGS. 2 and 6, each of the inner walls 21 and22 is joined to the adjoining outer wall 11 and 12, respectively, by =arelatively long, narrow heat sealed area 24. Sealed areas 24, extendentirely across the package between side seals 16 and are generallyparallel to and spaced from end seal 18. As will become obvious, the twoinner walls are not seal-ed together at 24, although the two heat seals24 are preferably opposite each other as shown.

Both inner walls 21 and 22 are attached to each other by two seal areas25 and 26 which are preferably narrow, elongated heat seals which arespaced apart from each other and which extend inwardly from or near seal24. From a functional standpoint, seals 25 and 26 can join seals 24, butfor ease of manufacture it is preferred that seals 25 and 26 approachseals 24 and then turn outwardly to join side seals 16. The shortsegments of the two side seals between seals 25 or 26 and seals 24provide continuity between transverse seals 24 and the two spaced seals25 and 26. In general, the two seal areas 25 and 26 start from the inneror lower edges 21s and 22s of walls 21 and 22 and extend across thesewalls toward the opposite edge to a position comparatively near theopposite edges thereof. These latter edges are somewhere yabove orbeyond seals 24 depending on the exact construction, but are at the edgeof the package in FIG. l. Located between the two inner lwalls andbordered by the two seals 25 and 26 isa filling passage P with its inletend adjacent the outer edges of the two walls and extending inwardly ofthe package to place its exit end at the inner edges 21S and 22s ofthese walls. The two seals 25 and 26 taper inwardly in order to give `ageneral funnel-shape to the passage with a larger end being at the inletend. At the exit end of the passage the two seals 25 and 26 haveparallel or substantially parallel, terminal sections at their closestapproach to each other.

Both inner walls 21 and 22 are also connected to one of the outer walls.In the construction illustrated, this outer wall is wall 12. This-connection of both inner `walls to the one outer wall is mostconveniently accomplished by connecting the three walls together overthe seal areas 25 and 26. This permits the connection of the inner wallsto the outer wall to be made at the same time and over the same area asthe -connection of the two walls to each other.

Thus, the two seal areas 25 and 26 provide a connection of the two innerwalls to outer wall 12 at each side of the inner or exit end of thefilling passage P formed between the two inner walls. The spacingbetween the two seals 25 and 26 at the exit end of the passage P isslightly less than the length of material in each of the two inner wallsbetween the same two seals. The result is that there is a Vsmall amountof slack or looseness in the two inner walls at the exit end of theliquid passage that gives to the inner walls an arched configurationeven when the outer wall 12 is pulled taut. This condition is shownclearly in FIGS. 4 and 5 at 29 in somewhat exaggerated and idealizedform for purposes of illustration. It will be realized that, because ofthe limp, flexible nature of the inner walls, they do not assume anygiven or constant shape at the exit end of the passage. Nevertheless,the effect is to create a configuration of the .inner walls that holdsthe two opposed walls in mutual contact.

This construction produces a one-way valve construction that iseffective in preventing the contents from entering the liquid passagefrom lthe interior space of the package during mixing while at the sametime permitting liquid to be introduced into the product space throughthe unsealed passage P. Since both inner walls `are attached to oneouter wall, there is no tendency for the inner Walls to be separated asa result of the outer walls being spread apart by internal pressure..Furthermore, the slack in the two inner walls just described forms aloose fold 29 in the two walls producing tension and compression in thewalls 21 and 22, respectively, tending to keep the two walls -always incontact with each other, thus 'resisting entry of material from thepro-duct space into the liquid passage without at any time resisting owof liquid through the passage when introduced into the inlet end.

Not essential to the proper 4operation of the package but convenient tothe user, are the two seals 27 and 28. These seals extend from seals 25and 26, respectively, to the side seals 16 and are located at or closelyadjacent to the lower edges 21s and 22s of the inner walls. Seals 27 and28 `seal the inner walls together and also to outer wall 12 for thepurpose of preventing the contents of the package from working up intothe confined spaces within the package between inner wall 22 and theadjoining outer wall 12. In the absence of barrier seals 27 and 28, asmall amount of the contents can become trapped during mixing in theseparts of the package. This is undesirable since it often interferes withproper mixing of the contents and also results in a certain amount ofunecessary waste.

The completed package with its contents hermetically sealed in itappears as shown in FIG. l. In order to use the package the end seal 18is removed by cutting all four walls transversely across the packagesubstantially along the line 3 3 between seal Iareas 18 and 24. Thisresults in free access to the inlet end of the filling passage P asshown in FIG. 3. The passage can be opened up by spreading apart theinner walls to give a funnel-like yshape to the passage, and a suitableamount of any desired liquid can then be poured easily into the package,the liquid fallin-g down through the passage P between inner walls 21vand 22. The liquid flows easily by gravity as its weight forces theinner ywalls apart, providing easy entry of the liquid into theproduct-containing space 14..

The liquid and the dry product are now mixed together by kneading orflexing the walls of the package to provide suitable mixing or agitationof the contents of the package. After a suitable mixture of the contentsis achieved, the semi-fluid contents are now squeezed out of the bagthrough an opening created expressly for this purpose. This can easilybe done by cutting off a corner of the package along the line 30, thuscreating a second opening of easily controlled size through which thecontents can be discharged at a fully controlled rate.

Mixing action can be carried out easily because of the Very flexiblenature of the thin, pliable walls of the package. It will be seen thatsubstantially the entire volume of the package interior is available forthe mixing operation. The inner walls, because of their connection toouter wall 12, both lie against the one outer wall and the normalpressures exerted by the contents on these walls during the mixingoperation tend to press the inner walls against each other. Also,because the two inner walls are connected to only `one outer wall, therelative motion of the two outer walls ycaused by kneading during mixingexerts no force on the inner Walls tending to separate them to allowescape of the product. The result is that the inner walls remain incontact with each other during the mixing operation and effectivelyclose the inlet passage to reverse flow and escape of the contents.

For purposes of disclosure, the package has been described as beingoriginally filled wit-h a dry, fluent product 15 to which a liquid is tobe added. It is equally within the scope of the invention to fill thepackagel initially with a liquid or semi-liquid material or to add afiuent powder or dry substance through passage P.

The package described can be made from four separate webs, the packagesbeing severed from the ends of the webs as they are completed. Onemethod is to feed into the machine two webs in parallel, opposedrelation to provide the two inner walls. The outer walls are then fed inone on each side of the two inner walls, so that the outer walls are inparallel, opposed relation to each other. Assuming the webs moved fromright to left in FIG. l, continuous heat seals are formed at 24. Eachseal 24 joins one inner wall to the adjoining or overlying outer wall.The seal 24 is at an area relatively adjacent one edge of the inner weband extend in the direction of web travel.

Next the walls are joined by heat seal 1S along one margin. Thisstabilizes the positions -of the webs relative to each other,preparatory to placing the seals 25 and 26 `forming the filling passage.These latter seals are preferably formed by a single die that placessi-multaneously the seal 25 of one package and seal 26 of the adjoiningpackage. Alternatively, a single die may place both seals on a singlepackage at one time. The seals 27 and 28 are placed by the same die;and, as mentioned above, not only are the two inner walls sealed to eachother but both are connected to one outer wall. This involves removingthe other outer wall from the action of the sealing die, as by foldingthe wall back enough to allow the die to operate inside that wall `andcontact the inner wall thereby exposed.

To insure that there is excess material in the inner walls between theparallel terminal sections of yseals 25 and 26, a forming shoe isinserted from one open end of the package between the inner wall and theouter wall to which it is sealed, in the example walls 22 and 12, whilethe webs are stationary. The shoe is of a size to produce the desiredcurved or arched configuration 29 of the inner walls. After placingseals 25 and 26, the shoe is retracted allowing the webs to advance.

Next the side seals are placed, joining the outer walls together in amanner to partially enclose the productcontaining space but leaving oneend of the package open. The product is introduced through this openend, after which final seal 18a is placed to hermetically as in FIG. lor it may be omitted as shown in FIG. 8 since the integral character ofthe walls closes the package. The inner walls 21a and 22a are likewisemade from a single sheet or web folded at 32 to bring the two Walls intoopposing positions. Since the two inner walls are integral with eachother at their outer edges, it is not necessary to `seal them together,as at 18, as a means for closing the upper end of the filling passage P.

As before, the seals 25a and 26a join the inner walls 21a and 22atogether and to outer wall 12a. The seals 25a and 26a define the inletpassage and flare outwardly at their outer ends to merge with the sideseals 16. The segments of the side seals 16 between the seals 25a or 26aand seal 24 serve to define in part the complete fluid passage. The samearched configuration 29 provides means holding the opposed passage Wallsin mutual contact.

As in the first described form, the filled package is opened by removingthe end of the package including the two folds 31 and 32, thusdestroying the continuity of the inner and outer walls respectively.This is done typically by cutting across the package within the area ofseal 24 or between seal 24 and the near end. This breaks the hermeticseal around the contents lby removing completely the end sealed area 18and opens the passage P to admit water or other liquid at the wide endand conduct it into the product space 14.

From the above description, another variational `form of the inventionwill be obvious without detailed description. The package 10c may be.constructed Without extending the inner walls into the end sealed area18. In other words, the inner walls 21 and 22 may have their upper orouter edges positioned at or just beyond the sealed area 24, as shown inFIG. 13. However, the construction shown in FIG. 2 is favored as itmakes for easier and surer handling of the Webs in a high speed machine.

The embodiments of t-he invention thus far described have been designedfor ease of manufacturing from continuous web stock. Each package ascompleted is severed `by a single cut from the following webs. Webtravel is transverse to the longer dimension, that is, from right toleft, or vice versa, in FIG. 1; and consequently the inner and outerwalls are equal in extent in this direction, or substantially so. It isobvious however, that the portions of walls 21 and 22 laterally beyondseals 25 and 26 have no functional utility in respect to the inletpassage and that these portions may be gmlited. A package 10b of thistype is shown in FIGS.

Referring to FIGS. 9-12 it will be seen that outer walls 11b and 12b areduplicates of walls 11 and 12 and are similarly joined by marginal heatsealed areas 16, 18 and 18a. Inner walls 2lb and 22b are now shaped toconform more or less closely to the outline of the funnel-shaped passageP to be provided by and between these two inner walls. As alreadydescribed, the sealed areas 25b and 26h join the inner walls togetherand the walls are also attached both to one outer wall, wall 12b, byseal areas assumed to coincide with areas 25b and 26b, though they maynot, depending on the manner of making the package. Seals 25b and 26bare now along opposite margins of walls 2lb and 22b and the latter donot extend into side seals 16.

Each of the inner walls 21b and 22b is attached to the adjoining outerwalls 11b and 12b respectively over the se-al area 24h. This sealextends across the `full width of the inner walls and is extended at 34at each end to meet side seals 16 to prevent escape of product aftertlhe end seal 18 has been removed to open the passage P for filling.

The foregoing description has related to a filled package as an exampleillustrating most fully the advantages of the present invention. Fromthat description it will be selfevident that the `invention has utilityas an inexpensive, disposable container. As such it will be made andmerchandised without any product in it. If two or more prod.- ucts areto be mixed, they will be added in turn by the user. A container of thischaracter is produced by the very simple change of omitting from thepackage of FIG. 1 all, or at least a large part, of end seal 18 betweenthe two side seals 16. The resulting container is similar to theabove-described packages in the state produced by cutting off the endportion of the package along a line between seals 24 and 18, in thevicinity of section line 3 3 of FIG. 1.

`Investigation of various designs leading to the present invent-ion hasindicated that any uncontrolled Wrinkle or fold formed in one wall ofthe passa-ge during the kneading operation opens the valve. Theabove-'described forms of the present invention are designed to place acontrolled curvature in both walls of the filling passage at the outletend. The curved or arched configuration holds the walls normally inmutual Contact. During the kneading operation pressure of the contentsagainst the outside of the curved walls holds them firmly together.Connections of the inner walls to one outer wall alone eliminates anyrelative movement of the inner walls caused by relative movement of theouter walls.

There is shown in FIG. 14 a container which is constructed in the samemanner as the package illustrated in FIG. 9, except as noted below. Thepackage terminates at its upper end Iat the seal 241)I which seals theinner walls 21e and 22C of the valve to the outer walls 11e and 12C,respectively. Seals 40 and 41 are located similarly to seals 2Sb and 26hsince they join at their edges the two inner walls 21C and 22C to fonmthe inlet passage P and also join walls 21e and 22e to outer wall llc.Seals 4t) and 41 extend upwardly to terminate in the area of transverseseal 24h.

The container of FIG. 14 differs from the package of FIG. 9 in that theslack or looseness in the walls is now located at' 42 in outer wall llc.This produces an arched configuration 42 in the outer wall as shownclearly in FIG. 15 (the curvature being exaggerated for purposes ofillustration) while the two inner walls 21C and 22C are straight. Thearch or loop in the outer wall 11e tends to straighten out under theinfluence of one or more forces. This may tbe merely the weight or bulkof the contents distending the outer walls, or it may be tension in theouter wall produced during the kneading action, that tends to stretchthe outer wall and thereby straighten out the curved configuration at42. Ilhese forces, alone or in combination, apply tension to inner walls21C and 22C through the two heat seals 4t) and 41, which tensionstraightens the inner wall members and thereby holds these wall membersin mutual contact. Of course, at any time fluid introduced into theupper end of the inlet passage P between walls 21C and 22C can overcomethis force and pass be tween the walls to enter product-receiving space14, but the forces acting on the wall members Zlc and 22C are suicientto ihold the walls in contact at the exit end of the passage and therebyprevent reverse ow of uid out of the product-receiving space.

A further modification of the Iinvention is shown in FIG. 17 in whichthe container 10c is formed as shown and described in FIG. 14 butwithout the arched configuration at 42. In this embodiment of theinvention, the means associated with the inner wall members 21d and 22dfor holding these opposed Walls in mutual contact cornprises a pluralityof island seals as indicated at 45 in FIG. 17. These island sealsillustrated are small seals, perhaps no more than one-sixteenth (/gth)inch in diameter which tack together the opposed walls 21d and 22dforming the fluid inlet passage; but other shapes, arrangements andnumbers of the seals may be used. Generally, they are :but a smallfraction of the distance between seals 40 and 41.

It has been found that the most prevalent cause of failure in knowndesigns of the one-way valve is the formation in one wall of a smallwrinkle or fold. To cause a failure,

such a wrinkle or fold extends generally parallel to the axis of thepassage, which is the vertical axis of the package in the positionillustrated, and pass through the exit end of the inlet passage. Theformation of such folds or Wrinkles can be prevented by small seals asindicated at 45. These island seals are spaced from any other heat sealsand serve as means for Iholding in mutual contact the walls 21d and 22dforming the inlet passage. At the same time these seals allow the wallsto separate to Ilet iiu'id flow freely from the upper end of the passageP into the product-receiving space 1 4, 'because of the exible nature ofthe walls dening this passage. Seals 45 hold the walls together toprevent reverse flow of uid out of the productreceiving space during thekneading or mixing action.

FIG. 19 shows a variational embodiment of the invention which differs invarious ways, as explained below, from the containers and packagesalready described.

One of these differences resides particularly in the outer wallconstruction. In the container 107 the two outer walls 51 and 52 areobtained from a single web which is folded longitudinally at the center.Consequently, enclosing the interior product-receiving space requiresmaking only three heat seals at 47, 48 and 49, the fourth side of thecontainer being formed Iby a 189 degree fold 50 in the web, where thetwo outer walls 51 and 52 are integral with each other. The presence ofthe fold Sti in the outer wall makes possible a difference in thearrangement of the wall means defining the inlet passage. In thispackage, the wall means defining the inlet passage a-gain comprises apair of wall members opposed to each other, `but one of the wall membersis the outer wall of the package, whereas t-he outer wall member is asingle inner wall member. The sheet forming the inner Walls 54 and 55 isfolded over upon itself along a median line at 56 so that the two halvesof the sheet overlie each other. This inner sheet is then placed insidethe outer wall with the fold 56 therein at the fold 5&1 in the outerwalls.

Each half 54 and 55 of the inner wall member is joined to the opposingouter wall 51 and 52 respectively, by a heat seal 57 which is spacedfarther from folded edge 50 at the upper end of the seal than it is atthe lower or inner end. Heat seal 47 across one edge of the containerseals outer walls 51 and SZ together where they oppose each other; andacross the remainder of the container it seals the inner walls 54 and 55to each other and to one of the outer walls, the latter being wall 52 inFIG. 20'. For at least a portion of the distance between seal 57 and theedge of the container at fold 50, wall 51l is not sealed to the innerwall 54- in order to leave unsealed the end of inlet passage P, as maybe seen in FIG. 20.

This construction produces an inlet passage which, in its entirety, isof U-shape and lies Ibetween the pair of Walls provided by the lfoldedinner Wall members 54, S5 and the opposing portions of the outer Wallsof the package. However, since lone-half of the passage is closed at itsupper end by the seal at 47, only lone leg of the U-shape is fullyactive, which is that portion. :of the enti-re passage lying betweeninner Wall 54 and outer wall 51 and shown as 'being lopen at P in FIG.20. By inclining heat seal 57 as shown in FIG. 19, the passage tapersfrom a wider mouth to a relatively narrow discharge opening at its innerend.

In actual manufacture, heat seals 57 are placed while the web forminglthe outer walls and the inner sheet are fiat so that the two wallforming members are joined to each other before folding over onthemselves through degrees to provide the Ifolds therein indicated at 50and 56, respectively. As a consequence of this construction, the curvedor arched wall closer to the center of curvature, in this case the innerwalls 54 and 55, has a slight compression in it while the other or outerwall has a slight tension. As previously mentioned, these forces in thetwo mem-bers are sufficient to cause the walls to be held in mutualcontact as shown in FIG. 21, thus normally closing the inlet passage atits inner end. However,

l l due to the flexible nature of these walls, they can separate at anytime to yallow the weight of entering liquid to force them apart,permitting the liquid to flow through the `inlet passage into theproduct-receiving space 14 of the container.

After the outer web is folded and while the container is being formed,heat and pressure are again yapplied over areas which may coincide moreor less with the areas of -seals 57 to seal together at 58 the inneropposed faces .tion which resembles in many ways the containerillustrated in FIGS. 19-21. Again, the two out-er walls 51 and 52 areobtained from a single folded web, the web -being folded over on itselfthrough 180 degrees, 4forming the fold at 50l on one edge of thepackage. The two outer walls are joined by three heat seals 47, 48 and49 tto enclose the interior product-receiving space 14.

The walls means defining the inlet passage now comprise a pair of innerwall forming members 60` and 61. The innermost one of the two wallmembers 60 is folded over on itself along a median line. The other oneof these wall members 61 is folded over around the Wall member 60 sothat each of the members is in a general U-shape with one outside of andopposing the other (FIG. 24).

Alon-g the top edge of the package at seal area 47 the two half sectionsof wall member 61 are sealed respectively on the outside to the innerlfaces of outer walls 51 and 52, as may be seen in FIG. 23, while walls51 and 52 4are sealed to each other over a portion of seal 47. Inside ofthe wall member 61 is the folded wall member 60 of which the two inneropposed faces are sealed together along their entire top edge; andone-half of this wall member is then sealed to an opposing `face of wallmember 61. The other halves of the two wall members 60 and 61 are notsealed to each other in order to permit spreading theml apart at theedge of the package for access to inlet passage P.

In the manufacture of the package, the two wall members 60 and l61 arebrought into mutually overlying and opposing relation and then sealedtogether at two locations along the heat sealed areas 64, while the twosheets are fiat. After they are thus connected to each other, the twosheets together are fol-ded over through 180 degrees into the U-formshown in FIGS. 23 and 24 and are then inserted in the container in aposition, as in FIG. 22, to be sealed to the outer walls thereof alongthe seal area 47 Iat one ed-ge of the completed container.

After the wall means defining the inlet passage are placed between walls51 and 52, heat and pressure are then applied to seal these two innerwall members to at least one of the outer walls at an area preferablymore or less coincident with heat sealed areas, 64, as shown in FIG. 24.The two areas 64 are assumed to now overlie each other. Also,preferably, the inner opposing faces of wall member l60 are sealedtogether over this same narrow elongated area in order to stabilizethese Wall members in the configuration which they assume in order todefine the inlet passage.

Because these two wall forming members are folded over after beinglfastened together, it will be realizied from the foregoing descriptionthat compression and tension forces, respectively, in the two wallmembers 60 and 61 at the fold in them hold the wall members normally inmutual contact at the exit end of the inlet passage P, in order toprevent flow of fluid out of the interior product-receiving space 14.

With this configurati-on of the wall means forming the inlet passage,the passage P is located between opposing faces of the two inner Wallmembers 60 and 61. In its entirety, the inlet passage has a U-shape, aswas the case with the container in FIG. 19. However, the upper end ofthe passage is closed at one side of the U-shape by the seal between thewall mem-bers 60 and 61 in the area 47, while the other leg of theU-shape is open at the end, as shown in FIG. 23. Liquid or other fluentmaterial introduced into the upper end of the passage can force thewalls apart because of their flexible nature and flow into theproduct-receiving space. It actually can iiow through the entire U-shapeof the passage. For ease of introduction, the seal areas 64 are inclinedin such a manner that passage P is larger at the inlet end than at theinner discharge end, thus having a general funnel shape.

As explained above, when the container is filled with a product it isgenerally desirable to hermetically seal the interior space by providinga seal or closure entirely around the product-receiving space 14. Forthis purpose, the top seal 18 is provided in the embodiment of FIG. l.When only an empty container is made land sold, it may be desired attimes to provide the container with the elosure means vfor the inletpassage which can be manipulated by the user after inserting contentsinto the container to seal the package against the entry of foreignmatter from outside. A container of this character is illustrated inFIG. 25 which is constructed in the same manner as the container of FIG.14 except for the addition thereto of a narrow band of pressuresensitive adhesive 66 on the inner face of one or both of the wall meansdefining the inlet passage P. The presence of this pressure sensitiveadhesive permits the inlet passage to be firmly closed by theapplication of manual pressure to the outside walls of the package inthe area of the adhesive.

This construction has the advantage that it permitsfthe user to closethe package for any purpose. It also prevents Ibreathing losses. Thisadhesive is preferably placed near but spaced in `from the entry end ofthe inlet passage in order that the walls of the inlet passage may begrasped at the edge of the package `and pulled apart to break theadhesive seal and open the passage. Although somewhat removed from thedischarge end of the inlet passage, this pressure sensitive adhesive isanother example of means Iassociated with the wall means defining theinlet passage for holding the opposed walls in mutual contact to preventloss of the contents by reverse iiow through the passage.

As previously mentioned, the present invention is concerned withcontainers and packages that are made entirely from very thin iiexiblewebs or films, often only one mil, usually less than three mils, thick.Consequently, the walls are not only very flexible but completely limpand they are movable in response to forces of very small magnitude. Thischaracteristic enables the small forces generated by the previouslydescribed structure to hold the walls of the attened tube forming theinlet passage, in' mutual contact at the inlet end of the passage,thereby preventing reverse flow during mixing or kneading of thecontents.

As long as the two walls defining the inlet passage are in contact, thepressures on them from the contents during mixing tend to close thepassage, as they are applied externally to the passage walls. Thepresent invention provides means holding the passage walls together,under normal conditions, at the inner or discharge end of the passage.Hence, access to the passage is denied the contents, while access ispossible when the walls separate, even slightly, as by the formation ofa small wrinkle in one Wall. The forces holding the walls together arevery small, perhaps only a fraction of one percent of the externallyapplied forces during mixing; but they are fully effective as long asthey are in operation before mixing starts.

As a further example of such a force, the walls may be held together bya charge of static electricity induced by rubbing or stroking the walls,either inner or outer. Any film having a very high dielectric value,such as vinylidene chloride commonly known as Saran, holds a staticcharge generated by rubbing the lm; and two such charged films are heldtogether by their mutual attraction.

From the above disclosure it will be apparent that Various othermodifications and re-arrangements of the container structure arepossible within the spirit and scope of our invention. Accordingly, itisto be understood that the foregoing description is considered to beillustrative of, rather than limitative upon, the invention as definedby the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A container, comprising:

a pair of opposed, ilexible outer walls defining a product-receivingspace;

wall means delining an inlet passage extending inwardly of the containerfrom one edge thereof and communicating with the product-receivingspace, said wall means comprising a pair of opposed llexible walls ofwhich at least one wall is in addition to the outer walls;

a strip of pressure sensitive adhesive extending across the inletpassage on the inner face of one of the opposed walls of the lastmentioned pair of walls to hold said opposed walls in mutual contactnormally to close the passage to reverse llow of iluid out of theproduct-receiving space yet allowing the walls to be separated to permita lluid to tlow through the passage into the product-receiving space.

2. A container as in claim 1 in which also includes means maintaining acurved configuration in the last mentioned pair of opposed llexiblewalls producing therein stresses holding the opposed walls in mutualcontact adjoining the inner end of the inlet passage.

3. A container, comprising:

a pair of opposed llexible outer walls defining a product-receivingspace;

wall means delining an inlet passage extending inwardly of the containerfrom one edge thereof and communicating with the product-receivingspace, said wall means comprising a pair of opposed flexible walls ofwhich at least one wall is in addition to the outer walls;

and a plurality of island seals connecting together the last mentionedpair of opposed walls at positions within the inlet passage whereby theopposed walls are held normally in mutual contact yet can separate toallow a fluid to llow through the passage into the product-receivingspace.

4. A package comprising:

a pair of opposed, ilexible outer walls defining a product-receivingspace;

a quantity of a product in said space;

wall means defining an inlet passage extending inwardly of the packagefrom one edge thereof and communicating with the product-receivingspace, said wall means comprising a pair of opposed flexible walls ofwhich at least one wall is in addition to the outer walls;

a strip of pressure sensitive adhesive extending across the inletpassage on the inner face of one of the walls of the last mentioned pairof walls to hold said opposed walls in mutual contact to close thepassage to reverse llow of iluid out of the product-receiving space yetallowing the walls to be separated to permit a fluid to flow through thepassage into the productreceiving space.

5. A package as in claim 4 which also includes means maintaining acurved conguration in the last mentioned pair of opposed flexible wallsproducing; therein stresses holding the opposed walls in mutual contactadjoining the inner end of the inlet passage.

6. A package, comprising:

a pair of opposed, flexible outer walls dening a product-receivingspace;

a quantity of a product in said space;

wall means defining an inlet passage extending inwardly of the packagefrom one edge thereof and communicating with the product-receivingspace, said wall means comprising a pair of opposed flexible walls ofwhich at least one wall is in addition to the outer walls;

and a plurality of island seals connecting together the last mentionedpair of opposed walls at positions within the inlet passage whereby theopposed walls are held normally in mutual contact yet can separate toallow a fluid to tlow through the passage into the product-receivingspace.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,679,969 6/ 1954Richter 229-35 2,697,531 12/1954 Hood 229-625 2,800,269 7/ 1957 Smith29-625 2,804,257 8/ 1957 Hasler et al 229-625 3,106,159 10/1963 Abramson229-62.5 3,195,801 7/1965 Symons et al. 229-625 FOREIGN PATENTS1,184,550 2/1959 France.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner. THERON E. CONDON, Examiner. W. T.DIXSON, JR., Assistant Examiner.

1. A CONTAINER, COMPRISING: A PAIR OF OPPOSED, FLEXIBLE OUTER WALLSDEFINING A PRODUCT-RECEIVING SPACE; WALL MEANS DEFINING AN INLET PASSAGEEXTENDING INWARDLY OF THE CONTAINER FROM ONE EDGE THEREOF ANDCOMMUNICATING WITH THE PRODUCT-RECEIVING SPACE, SAID WALL MEANSCOMPRISING A PAIR OF OPOSED FLEXIBLE WALLS OF WHICH AT LEAST ONE WALL ISIN ADDITION TO THE OUTER WALLS; A STRIP OF PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVEEXTENDING ACROSS THE INLET PASSAGE ON THE INNER FACE OF ONE OF THEOPPOSED WALLS OF THE LAST MENTIONED PAIR OF WALLS TO HOLD SAID OPPOSEDWALLS IN MUTUAL CONTACT NORMALLY TO CLOSE THE PASSAGE TO REVERSE FLOW OFFLUID OUT OF THE PRODUCT-RECEIVING SPACE YET ALLOWING THE WALLS TO BESEPARATED TO PERMIT A FLUID TO FLOW THROUGH THE PASSAGE INTO THEPRODUCT-RECEIVING SPACE.